OKC Thunder: Victor Oladipo Will Not Report to Training Camp

The Thunder have many decisions to make before the season, and it appears they have made one.

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s roster situation has gained more clarity, with GM Sam Presti saying Victor Oladipo will not report to training camp. The Thunder acquired Oladipo in July, along with two second-round picks from the Miami Heat, but it appears Oladipo will not suit up for a second stint with the Thunder.

Now, it becomes a matter of what the Thunder will do with Oladipo. The 10-year veteran suffered a season-ending injury in the playoffs last season in the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks.

“He’ll be back this season at some point,” Presti said. “But with our roster situation, we can’t prioritize that.”

Since the Thunder will still need to cut the roster down to 15 standard contracts, any trade involving Oladipo would be unlikely to return a player. But if the Thunder did acquire a player, it would likely be someone they could easily waive or trade in another deal.

Oklahoma City may aggressively try to find a trade for Oladipo to avoid dead salary. Although Oklahoma City will not be the place for Oladipo, he can be a productive contributor for another team.

Last season, Oladipo averaged career lows with 10.7 points on 39.7% shooting. Because he was battling injuries throughout the season, Oladipo played only 42 games, averaging 26.3 minutes.

Despite those struggles, Oladipo showed he was dependable as a defender and still averaged 1.4 steals. He also shot 47.1% from inside the arc, which was good for his best full season since his first year in Indiana.

Any team trading for the 31-year-old guard will have concerns about his injury history and may not be willing to offer much in return. But for the Thunder, a good return may not be as important as simply getting Oladipo into a situation where he can succeed.

Presti and the Thunder have a reputation for doing right by their players, and this situation could be another example of that. Since the Thunder already acquired two second-round picks from the Heat in the original Oladipo trade, they may be willing to forgo acquiring additional assets if both sides ultimately get their desired result.